(Closed) Would you use matchy-matchy names for your children?

I just got back from a week of ‘Mini School’ (I teach distance education) and was surprised at how matchy-matchy some of the children’s names were – which then reminded me of a few more families I know who have given their children matching names.

There were the two brothers named Bow and Archer nn Arch; and twin girls Lilly and Rosy as well as their little sister Daisy. I also know a family with a daughter Charlotte nn Lottie and a son named Charles nn Charlie; and one group of siblings I met a few years ago named Olivia nn Via, Olive nn Livvy and Oliver nn Ollie. Plus many, many more!

I cannot understand why as a parent you would want to give your children names that are so similar! For multiples, I almost find it worse; they’re going to be compared and labelled ‘the twins’ or ‘the triplets’ by friends, teachers etc. for most of their lives, surely they should have names that show their individuality!

I know I spent hours debating if Scarlet and Ruby (red) were too similar; let alone thinking it a good idea to name my two daughters Olivia and Olive.

Some ways of matching, I think are fine, like twin boys I babysat when I was in high school called Matthew and Theodore; both names mean ‘Gift of God’ or ‘God’s gift”. Or girls named Greta and Margo, both of which are nicknames for the name Margaret, which was the name of both the children’s grandmothers.

It’s simply just a trend I don’t understand and something I have no desire to do when I have my own children. Though really do I love both Scarlet and Ruby…

Do you know any families whose children have matchy-matchy names? Do your children have matchy-matchy names? Do you think it’s a good idea or a bad one? Are some ways of matching acceptable where others aren’t?

My parents didn’t do matchy matchy but they did do all same first initials…and let me tell you, they regret it now! I can’t ever get called by my name, I always get my sister’s name first. Usually my mom will say her name followed by mine immediately…sometimes my brother’s in there too, that’s what she gets lol

@AlwaysSunny: I agree about the Matthew and Theodore vs. Matthew and Jayden issue. I think names should ‘match’ in that they go well together. My little sisters best friend is called Claire and her little sister is named Jordan – to me, they just sound off together.

@soontobemrsm11: I think first initals would be really hard to continue the more children you have, unless you love a whole lot of names from the very begining.

Not at all. Not in any way. I don’t like even the matching first initial thing, or people who do A, B, C, D with each kid. I really feel like a person’s name should be chosen specifically for them, not because it’s part of a set, or even strictly because the parents like it. We waited for our little to be born before choosing a name for him, so that we could decide what would fit. Good thing we did, because none of our list names seemed right once we met him. He went almost a week without a name, but I think what we chose is right for him, and it’s a name that’s all his.

@shadesofviolet: Honestly, I think most of their names are terrible, I just don’t like them. And I see that the eldest has decided to follow the tradition, so it must not have been too bad growing up with siblings of all the same letter names if he’s doing it with his own children…

@Mischka: Considering my brother and I both had the same initials (as did my father since bro was a ‘junior’), it was definitely a pain in the butt whenever my mom or someone would blurt out my name, and mean my brother, and vice versa.Now my brother sometimes accidentally calls me by his teenage daughter’s name (our names are nothing alike other than the end having an ‘ee’ sound to them).

I don’t think that I would give my kids matching names, I’m already butting heads with my Fiance who is fixated on naming a boy and girl (if we have any) ‘Luke and Leia’ (*sigh* just, no).

My stepson & our daughter have similiar sounding names. But it wasn’t on purpose. When I told fi the name I loved for our daughter. He said he liked it too & he liked that it was a 2 syllable “S” name just like his son. I really hadn’t thought of it. Only thing is his son has a “unique” name. And dd is a more classic name. No one ever really notices. I had a gf whos dh wanted to give her daughters rhyming names… we talked them out of it. Lol

ETA- fi is now insisting that our next baby have an “s” name too.. ughh lucky for him I have a beautiful “s” name picked out if we have another baby girl & it doesn’t sound like dd’s name but it flows